- Aug 29, 2018
- 28,737
- 42,815
- Parrots
- Fang ({ab}normal grey cockatiel), Valentino (budgie), Jem (cinnamon cockatiel), Lovejoy(varied lorikeet), Peach (princess parrot)
Old habits like that are hard to break - stick with it!!!
Rescueing Penny
- Thread starter Laurasea
- Start date
- May 23, 2018
- 3,559
- 158
- Parrots
- Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
Doing pretty much the same thing... the moment she seems fine and I let out the breath I was holding (picture me red and blue in the face most days
) there will be some damage...Just hang in there, even with 3 steps forward 2 steps back -> you will get there in the end! It just takes longer.
Try to be zen about it- yesterday is past.
Tomorrow may be wonderfull again :07: today is about whatever you make it.
Pluckers are quite nervewrecking.
Just remember: it is probably not happening because you did something wrong.
If that parrot is not allerting you to a disease, telling you about a discomfort (internal or external) it may be all about habbit or even a simple tempertantrum they do not know how to express otherwise.
You covered the dis-ease part and are working on 'habbit'.
One step at the time.
It may have been a firetruck passing by in the night... sometimes it is and remains a big mystery.
- Thread starter
- #83
Thanks ladies for the support!!
She plucked again last night and stored them in her food bowl again. Yes I got her in terrible circumstances, and she was already plucking around her throat. But now that I have her that zone keeps expanding down. So I feel like a failure. I had her examination at the vets and they had told me that once they start is hard to stop em and could get worse...but I won't if I should try and get her crop rechecked as this is in the pluck zone. She grabs her feathers on the back of her neck with her foot then pulls them around to pluck, actually all the feathers she plucks she grabs with her feet first. Otherwise she is explore, playing and preening her toys, trying new things, much more active with tail wags. The first month and half I had her not one tail wag, so I can tell she is more engaged. I love this funny abused soul so much. I want to see her stop tearing at herself!!!
She plucked again last night and stored them in her food bowl again. Yes I got her in terrible circumstances, and she was already plucking around her throat. But now that I have her that zone keeps expanding down. So I feel like a failure. I had her examination at the vets and they had told me that once they start is hard to stop em and could get worse...but I won't if I should try and get her crop rechecked as this is in the pluck zone. She grabs her feathers on the back of her neck with her foot then pulls them around to pluck, actually all the feathers she plucks she grabs with her feet first. Otherwise she is explore, playing and preening her toys, trying new things, much more active with tail wags. The first month and half I had her not one tail wag, so I can tell she is more engaged. I love this funny abused soul so much. I want to see her stop tearing at herself!!!
- Thread starter
- #84
Miss Penny official DNA girl , is sitting with me and cage escape artist Ta-dah. I had a dish with seed an pellets and was hand feeding both. Penny eating only seeds as always. Well seeds ran out I only had pellets left. Feed one pellet to Ta-dah she eats, feed one pellet to Penny she throws it. Back and forth and so on, then what ?? Penny ate a pellet!!!! I gave her another one she ate it! Then she came down so she could watch that Ta-dah was eating pellets, went back to shoulder and ate about ten more!!!! Always watching to make sure Ta-dah was eating hers!!! She is still eating as I write!!! Power to the modeling of behavior!!!! Penny ate pellets! And Penny and Ta-dah are getting along and not fighting like they have been for months! Wow! I need a lottery ticket!!!
Last edited:
- Aug 29, 2018
- 28,737
- 42,815
- Parrots
- Fang ({ab}normal grey cockatiel), Valentino (budgie), Jem (cinnamon cockatiel), Lovejoy(varied lorikeet), Peach (princess parrot)
Very well done Laura & Penny & Ta-dah, great group effort! I had a stubborn cockatiel did that to me (Twinkle), fought me every step of the way & wouldn’t touch pellets like they were made of cyanide for about 8 weeks until one day she just started eating them like she’d done it all her life! Don’t they just make you crazy sometimes?!
Here’s hoping Penny gives up all her other bad habits too!
Here’s hoping Penny gives up all her other bad habits too!
cnyguy
Well-known member
Keep eating those pellets, Penny! 
After I adopted Scooter the CAG, I discovered that what one parrot has the other parrot must have too-- even if it's something they don't like. It can be a good way to get a parrot to try new foods, though unfortunately, they may not keep on eating them.
After I adopted Scooter the CAG, I discovered that what one parrot has the other parrot must have too-- even if it's something they don't like. It can be a good way to get a parrot to try new foods, though unfortunately, they may not keep on eating them. - Thread starter
- #87
I was outside most of the afternoon while someone did yard work..I could here Penny calling "Come here" she just learned that. When I cane in several hours later. She had plucked a ton of feathers..
and next week I'm gone two days ( day not nights) for my hospital treatment.... so I'm worrying, I dont know what to leave in her cage to keep her attention..she has lost interest in the preen toys.
and next week I'm gone two days ( day not nights) for my hospital treatment.... so I'm worrying, I dont know what to leave in her cage to keep her attention..she has lost interest in the preen toys.
- Aug 29, 2018
- 28,737
- 42,815
- Parrots
- Fang ({ab}normal grey cockatiel), Valentino (budgie), Jem (cinnamon cockatiel), Lovejoy(varied lorikeet), Peach (princess parrot)
Laura I don't know if this is any help to you, or even if its feasible for you, but one day I was talking to my bird vet about pluckers. He suggested what you do is stuff the cage so absolutely chock-full of branches, foliage, toys, anything and everything you can find that the bird barely has room to move much less to pluck! The bird would therefore have no option but to chew on everything surrounding it to make some space for itself and would (for the time being at least) forget all about plucking.
Now mind you this conversation took place a number of years ago and I haven't spoken to him about it since, but hey, maybe it's worth a try??
Now mind you this conversation took place a number of years ago and I haven't spoken to him about it since, but hey, maybe it's worth a try??
- May 23, 2018
- 3,559
- 158
- Parrots
- Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
I second that -- one of the petshopowners (the only one I know/knew that sells parrots here in Utrecht) does the same thing with pluckers: he just stuffs the cages so full with willowbranches the bird needs to gnaw his/her way to the foodbowl and then gnaw its way to the water...
I prefer to interact with my birds as well, so never did that (they need to get out of the cage for that), but for an antisocial bird this might really work wonders (is fouraging level "expert" / survivalmodus).
So sorry to hear she did a major pluck again
Radio and TV do not help at all?
(maybe read a book to her-> make a recording of it and play it non-stop when you are away? At least she will hear something familiar all day long.)
I prefer to interact with my birds as well, so never did that (they need to get out of the cage for that), but for an antisocial bird this might really work wonders (is fouraging level "expert" / survivalmodus).
So sorry to hear she did a major pluck again
Radio and TV do not help at all?
(maybe read a book to her-> make a recording of it and play it non-stop when you are away? At least she will hear something familiar all day long.)
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #90
Thank both for new ideas. I'm a little hesitant to stuff her cave as change if any mind freaks her out big time and causes immeadt plucking. The TV was on while I was outside. I am home usually 24/7 and she is normal out for 10 hours s day. She has even plucked while sitting on my shoulder.... It is her only activities is plucking or over preening it chewing on her feet... So maybe it's worth overwhelming her with a ton of stuff in her cage just to try and see.
It is her only activities is plucking or over preening it chewing on her feet... So maybe it's worth overwhelming her with a ton of stuff in her cage just to try and see.- Thread starter
- #91
Mrs. Penny is being heavily wooed by my little rooster Cloudy. Cloudy refuses to be run off by her. Has serenaded her repeatedly! Today I let everyone out, and he snuck several kisses from Penny! Oh I tried to catch a picture for you all, but the new couple is not into PDA! I'm so proud of Penny I think this is her first burd friend EVER! Maybe that will help her confidence. They are simply so cute together, that little blue and white budgie, and his large green lady love! Hopefully pictures will be coming soon...
Oh, I do HOPE you can get a picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At our house, we're all about little roosters in love with gigantic females!
Hey, it ain't the rooster in the fight. It's the fight in the rooster!
At our house, we're all about little roosters in love with gigantic females!
Hey, it ain't the rooster in the fight. It's the fight in the rooster!
- Thread starter
- #93
Oh Penny I love you Too! All the birds haven't been out cuz I been so sick. Anyway this evening opened cages let them climb on top. Turned away and Penny launched herself into the air and managed to land on my shoulder!!!! This is her first self flight!!!!! Her others have been startle and flap to the ground. She loves me! She was missing her shoulder time!!!! I hope this means she can learn to fly!!!! I was only a couple of feet away,but she chose to fly and did!! She is on my shoulder now making concerned noises Everytime I cough..
I'm glad things are going well. Wow, 2019 looks like a good year for romance, at your house anyway. lol
- Thread starter
- #95
Merry Christmas Penny! May 2019 be your best ever! I love you baby girl!!!!! Edit: I just read her story from the start, I'm so glad I wrote it all down, because wow the changes she had made! Thankfully the two f bombs have never been repeated since. I'm so glad chance brought her into my life, and I'm so thankful my friends and family made it possible for me to bring her home. My heart still breaks at seeing how dirty and matted feathers when I brought her home that first day..
Last edited:
- Aug 29, 2018
- 28,737
- 42,815
- Parrots
- Fang ({ab}normal grey cockatiel), Valentino (budgie), Jem (cinnamon cockatiel), Lovejoy(varied lorikeet), Peach (princess parrot)
Awww that’s cute! Is Penny still being wooed by that randy little rooster of yours?
- Aug 29, 2018
- 28,737
- 42,815
- Parrots
- Fang ({ab}normal grey cockatiel), Valentino (budgie), Jem (cinnamon cockatiel), Lovejoy(varied lorikeet), Peach (princess parrot)
Oh yes I just saw it. Sure can’t blame him for trying!
- Thread starter
- #99
You got that right Gail!!! Introducing the mightiest little rooster who against significant odds has won his lady love!!!!!
- May 23, 2018
- 3,559
- 158
- Parrots
- Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
Xmassnacks, xmassnacks, from a little beak
Laura had the cam'ra out, and we can take a peek
(I will show myself out now)
Well done Cloudy
Laura had the cam'ra out, and we can take a peek
(I will show myself out now)
Well done Cloudy
Most Reactions
-
639 -
451 -
415 -
292 -
243 -
227 -
185 -
162 -
154 -
144 -
95 -
J
77
-
77 -
64 -
44
